Council "Committee Of The Whole" passes, improves job performance

Council Committee Of The Whole

At Council's March 27th Regular Meeting council passed Ordinance 2917 that changes their 4:30 pm Tuesday Council Standing Committee meetings of 3 councilmembers to "Council Of The Whole Committee" meetings of 7 councilmembers.  The vote was 7-2 (Fields, Anderson.)  

The creation of Council Committee Of The Whole (CCOW ) last week has historical significance because Council's "old" Standing Committees were first installed by Council in 1913 under Ordinance No. 4. (Ref. Michelle Hart, city clerk.)  CCOW meetings will significantly open up the workings city government to the people as well as empower Council's decision-making process on legislation and policy-making.   

Owing to the significance of CCOW meetings I will be reporting on them on a regular basis....in Series format. Their first meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, April 3 at 4:30 in City Hall.  Details are in the Agenda here.  

B. Yoder  

READ MORE  - Mr. Myers letter about the CCOW and his analysis of it. 

Hank's comment:   "the Committee of the Whole is not a significant change in the actual operations of the Council."  The committee will significantly increase participation of our elected and encourage staff  to be more active, open and accountable to council.  As a result study sessions and regular meetings, when aligned with CCOW, will be more productive and final decisions more effective." 

Hank noted attendance wasn't required; and council members could walk in and out of the meeting at any time. 

B. Yoder, 

Hi Bob,

I see Fabulous Michelle has handled the factual part of your request.

First, let me say that this [creation of Council Committee Of The Whole] is a internal housekeeping matter to comply with State law in the most thorough and conservative way possible.  In fact, it is not a significant change in the actual operations of the Council.  From the time David Carson, the other Hank and I joined the Council, the Committee meetings have welcomed all Council members.  When Fabulous Michelle joined the City, she pointed out because a quorum of the Council could be present and discussing potential legislation, the meetings needed to be noticed as Council meetings.  It was sort of a hybrid approach, or perhaps two meetings in one.  While all Council members could attend and ask questions, only the designated members of the Committee could vote on issues.  The important point is that the Committee meeting was a legitimate touch on the topic because everybody who wanted to attend could attend.

Enter stage right the Washington Attorney General who issued a legal opinion that governed the public meetings of municipalities.  Committee meetings could be considered regular Council meetings, or just a Committee meeting, but our structure was essentially both.  This created some problems with notice.  Everything was being done legally, but with twice the effort.  The Committee of the Whole format allows all Councilmembers who want to participate to debate and vote on issues.  The current Committee Chairs will preside at the COTW meetings, and each week will address a specific group of topics.  I will continue the Chair the Parks and Human Services Committee topic, which will be held on the first Tuesday of the month.

There is an irony in this change in that more members will have to attend the COTW meetings.  Because all members are allowed, a quorum is now four members rather than two.  At the same time, we have decided to excuse all absences from the COTW because not all members might be able to attend all meetings.  We hardly ever have had fewer than four members of the Council attend Committee meetings in the past.  Now the mandatory number of meetings drops from six to five for those members who are Committee Chairs (I think we will change that title to something like Presiding Officer), and to just the basic four regular Council meetings for those members that do not preside over COTW meetings.  Those are Angela, David and Jeralee.

Jason Antonelli [challenged Jeralee in the 2018 council election] raised the issue in an email that he thinks having smaller Committees makes for more efficient and in-depth relationships with staff.  [Council member Steve Fields feels the same.]  In my ten years of experience, the added members do not burden the meetings and generally ask questions that might not have otherwise been raised.  If the other four members were excluded from the Committee meetings, then they would only have two or three working days to bring them up to speed on a new topic and get questions answered individually, which is not efficient.  It is not a matter of the four excluded Councilmembers not trusting the three Committee members, it is a matter of all Councilmembers doing full due diligence in the performance of our jobs. 

Personally I found it offensive to be told that I could not get first hand information, or spend additional time on my own to understand issues better.  The three members only format put an artificial cap on how active I can be as a Councilmember.  At the same time, the number of mandatory meetings is reduced.  Historically we did a report showing Committee and Council attendance records by member, and I hope we will do that again under the COTW arrangement.

Best wishes-

Hank Myers

Redmond Council Member

425-830-4265

3/28/2018

CC: Michelle Hart

Hank Myers BIO

Hank Myers

Position #1
Term Expires 12/31/19
Chair of the Parks & Human Services Committee

Hank has served on Redmond’s City Council since January 2008 and is now serving his second term. He has served on advisory boards for Metro Transit and the Bellevue School District. Councilmember Myers is the Director of the Eastside Friends of Seniors, and serves as Chair of the Board of the Together Center in Redmond. Hank began his professional career with Hughes Airwest as a regulatory affairs specialist and since 1980, has served as a consultant in transportation economics, including aviation and surface issues. He has a Bachelor’s degree in English from California State University. A 38-year resident and living in the Viewpoint area of Redmond, Hank is married to Christine and has two grown children. He likes to spend time volunteering with Green Redmond and at the Center for Wooden Boats.

hmyers@redmond.gov